O’neal’s Story of Creativity and Confidence

Not every young person finds their voice through words. Sometimes it emerges through colour, imagination, and the quiet act of creating something that says what language cannot.

For O’Neal Musada, art became that space.

After fleeing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a child, O’Neal spent part of his early life in a refugee camp - an experience that would shape much of how he later saw the world, and himself. In a place shaped by uncertainty, art offered something steadier. A way to return to memories he was still learning how to carry, and to give shape to experiences that had never fully found words. 

At Pestalozzi, that instinct was never treated as separate from education.

Through a model built around holistic development, young people are encouraged not only to succeed academically, but to discover what gives them confidence, expression, and a sense of purpose.

For O’Neal, art became part of that journey.

Years later, he returned to the Pestalozzi community in Zambia with a collection of original works created for the organisation’s Gala Dinner, where his paintings were auctioned in support of the Sally Dean Fund - helping alumni continue their education beyond school.

What once helped him make sense of his own experiences had become something capable of opening doors for others.

A reminder that creativity is never only personal. In the right hands, it can become a way of carrying opportunity forward.

O’Neal turned his creativity into opportunity for others. You can too. Take on a challenge, host an event, or fundraise with Pestalozzi - and help open doors for the next generation.